Crystal Palace vs Fulham
2nd February, 11pm WST
A 1-1 draw away to Southampton was a solid result for 15th placed Crystal Palace who had lost their two previous matches. They return home this week and should fancy their chances against one of the worst teams in the League.
Lowly Fulham (19th) had a rare victory midweek in an exciting 4-2 shootout with Brighton. Aside from collecting all three points, the most intriguing part of this result was the four goals scored, a feat they hadn’t reached in the Premier League since August last year.
Crystal Palace have shown signs through January of shaking their low scoring identity; most notably with three goals against Liverpool (the League’s best defense) and two away goals at Wolverhampton. Coming up against Fulham, who hold the worst defensive record in the Premier League (53 goals conceded), Palace should have their sights set on another haul.
Fulham have scored a goal in each of their last six Premier League fixtures and have improved their attacking style overall under new manager, Claudio Ranieri. In their last four Premier League games the game total has gone over 2.5 goals, a trend I expect to continue.
Suggested Bet: Over 2.5 Goals @ $2.00*
Everton vs Wolverhampton
2nd February, 11pm WST
One of the matches of the round sees Everton (8th) play host to Wolverhampton (7th), with just two points separating the pair. An early Richarlison goal helped Everton to a much needed 1-0 win over Huddersfield during the week, and the Toffees will be hoping to leapfrog their opponents with a follow-up win at home.
Wolverhampton started 2019 with back to back losses but come into this fixture off the back of two straight wins. The most telling feature of the two victories has been their goal scoring, with seven goals in two matches rare for a Wolves side that has scored just 30 times this season.
The Wolves’ improvement in attack has stemmed largely from the brilliant play of Diego Jota, Raul Jimenez and Joao Moutinho – the trio combining for five goals and six assists in the last two matches.
Wolverhampton have also conceded in nine of their 11 away matches in the Premier League this season, while Everton have scored in 11 of their 12 matches at home. Picking a winner is tough, but we should see goals from both of these sides.
Suggested Bet: Both Teams To Score @ $1.77*
Cardiff City vs Bournemouth
3rd February, 1.30am WST
The midweek loss to Arsenal capped off a spell of poor results for 18th placed Cardiff City, who are now four points behind Burnley in the fight to avoid relegation.
Bournemouth (10th) ended 2018 in terrible fashion but have steadied in the new year, and enter this clash having won their last two matches. This includes their massive 4-0 win over Chelsea during the week that came without leading goal scorer Callum Wilson.
Bournemouth have shown they have no trouble scoring goals, with striker Joshua King and midfielder David Brooks in strong form. The Cherries always stay true to their attacking mindset and when they click (like against Chelsea) they can cause havoc for opposition defenses.
Cardiff have similarly shown a knack for scoring goals at home, seemingly transforming into a different side in front of their loyal fans. Over 2.5 goals has been seen in nine of their last 12 home matches and there is a strong case for this to happen again.
Suggested Bet: Over 2.5 Goals @ $1.87*
*Odds correct as at 9am WST 1st February 2019.
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